In patent application Ser. No. 422,758, filed Dec. 7, 1973 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,911, there is disclosed a portable heating and cooling apparatus utilizing flexible pads to be wrapped around a limb or other body portion of a human or animal, for selectively heating or cooling that body portion. The portable apparatus is especially useful in treating sprains, strains or other muscular injuries to athletes or race horses, as soon after the injury occurs as possible in order to rapidly reduce swelling, fever or the like to the injured area. Such a device obviates the inconvenient use of ice packs for treating such injuries or muscular diseases or inflamations.
The present invention is an improvement over the previous apparatus. The unit is combined with a carrying case having special features of quick connect and disconnect means, and refrigerant recharge means. Especially important are an auxiliary heat exchanger and improved flexible pad design as will be more fully explained hereinafter.